Yale has introduced a new policy allowing test flexibility for first-year and transfer applicants during the admissions process. The admissions office made this announcement on February 22, 2024, in an article that is 12 minutes long.

After four years of a test-optional admissions policy, Yale will revert to requiring test scores for all applicants. The university will expand the range of accepted tests, adding AP and IB exams alongside the SAT and ACT. During this discussion, Jeremiah Quinlan, the dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, will explore Yale’s decision to reintroduce a uniform test requirement for all applicants, drawing on data and analyses that informed the change. He will also reflect on how the admissions office addressed challenges posed by the pandemic and the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the use of race in admissions. With nearly two decades of experience in admissions at Yale, Quinlan will discuss the role of standardized tests in the college admissions process, emphasizing how they complement other aspects of an application, such as high school transcripts, to assess a student’s academic readiness for college.

Yale University places a strong emphasis on academic preparedness, and in fact, more than 50,000 of its applicants each year demonstrate strong academic foundations before applying. While test scores are not the primary focus of the admissions process, they can still play a helpful role, particularly for students from under-resourced high schools. Admissions committee members first assess a student’s academic background to understand their potential and contributions to Yale. We find that standardized test scores are especially valuable for students attending schools with fewer academic resources or college-preparatory courses. It’s important to clarify common misconceptions about test scores and their role in our admissions process. For instance, scores are not simply used in an algorithm or weighting system, nor do they automatically penalize applicants if they fall below a certain threshold. Instead, admissions officers carefully evaluate each applicant’s entire academic record, including test scores, in the context of their secondary school environment. Additionally, we consider a wide range of scores, reflecting the diverse range of applicants we admit. The admissions process is far more complex than merely ranking students based on test scores, and it is designed to be both selective and engaging. Our team of admissions officers evaluates each applicant individually, taking into account their unique strengths, experiences, and potential contributions to Yale. While the process is rigorous, it is also rich and rewarding.

Our first goal is to align our policy more closely with our communication to prospective applicants and our day-to-day practice. We realized that by letting students apply without submitting their test scores, some applicants unintentionally hurt their chances by withholding scores that would have been helpful to the admissions committee—even if those scores fell below the median range of our enrolled students. We want to be transparent and honest with applicants: test scores are not the sole basis of our review, but they can still play a role, especially for students from backgrounds that may have had fewer opportunities to prepare. Our second goal is to provide our admissions committees with more reliable evidence to evaluate strong applicants from all walks of life. Over the past four years, we’ve learned that our committees can function effectively without test scores. However, when making predictions about the future with incomplete information, having more evidence is better than less. Our “whole person” review process allows us to consider every aspect of an application, including test scores, in the context of a student’s high school, neighborhood, and household background. Quinlan: Our first goal is to align our policy more closely with our communication to prospective applicants and our day-to-day practice. We realized that by letting students apply without submitting their test scores, some applicants unintentionally hurt their chances by withholding scores that would have been helpful to the admissions committee—even if those scores fell below the median range of our enrolled students. We want to be transparent and honest with applicants: test scores are not the sole basis of our review, but they can still play a role, especially for students from backgrounds that may have had fewer opportunities to prepare. Our second goal is to provide our admissions committees with more reliable evidence to evaluate strong applicants from all walks of life. Over the past four years, we’ve learned that our committees can function effectively without test scores. However, when making predictions about the future with incomplete information, having more evidence is better than less. Our “

Finally, we aim to empower students to excel in their college applications by leveraging the lessons learned during the pandemic, emphasizing flexibility and adaptability. The introduction of new test types has shifted some of the focus away from standardized exams like the ACT and SAT, and recent research supports the predictive power of subject-based exams, such as AP and IB, in accurately forecasting Yale grades, even after controlling for other variables. This research highlights the importance of these exams in assessing academic potential. During our admissions process, we analyzed our applicant pool, the admitted students, and the first-year class to evaluate academic performance. Our findings indicate that test scores remain a strong predictor of success in Yale courses, with students who scored higher achieving higher GPAs. Additionally, we observed that students admitted without test scores performed well in their Yale coursework, demonstrating their academic capabilities. This data underscores the value of holistic admissions strategies and the continued relevance of standardized testing in predicting academic outcomes.

Yale has identified a significant difference in average GPAs among applicants who submitted SAT scores versus those who did not. The university has enrolled over 1,000 undergraduates who applied without test scores, and the admissions committee evaluated their applications based on other criteria, such as essays or recommendations. Applicants without SAT scores have been less likely to be admitted, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds or those attending high schools with fewer college preparatory courses. The applicant pool has significantly expanded since 2020, with over 57,000 first-year applicants this year—an increase of 66% compared to the 35,000 applicants before Yale adopted a test-flexible admission policy. Despite this growth, the pool has not seen a substantial representation of applicants with strong academic backgrounds. Critics argue that standardized tests act as barriers for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, the admissions team acknowledges research showing the correlation between SAT scores, household income, and academic gaps by race. Despite this, they believe their policy supports a more inclusive admissions process.

Admissions policies, including test scores as one component of a holistic review process, can contribute to increasing diversity rather than reducing it. We believe that a student body diverse across all dimensions offers a more enriching learning environment. We have taken steps in response to the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race in admissions, and have made measurable progress recently. If this policy were likely to hinder those efforts, we would not proceed with it. Additionally, research supports the idea that test scores can benefit students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and prior experiences, such as increasing Yale College’s diversity before the pandemic, have led us to a test-optional policy. Over the years, the number of Pell Grant-eligible first-year students grew by 95%, first-generation college students by 65%, and under-represented minority students by 52%. Applicants should know that test scores are always considered in context and alongside other significant elements of their applications. Jeremiah Quinlan notes that students with greater resources tend to score higher, but they also excel in other areas of the application. Our whole person review process allows us to consider

Yale has implemented a new admissions policy that requires all applicants to submit standardized test scores, including the ACT or SAT. Based on over 40,000 applications analyzed over the past four years, our research indicates that admissions committees tend to place less emphasis on test scores for students attending well-funded high schools, where proxies like advanced coursework and extracurricular activities often compensate for missing scores. In contrast, for students attending high schools with limited resources, omitting test scores can leave admissions officers with little concrete evidence of their readiness for academic success at Yale. Including a test score—even one below Yale’s typical range—provides the admissions committee with greater confidence that the applicant is likely to achieve the necessary academic rigor in college. Our findings strongly suggest that requiring test scores for all applicants would serve to level the playing field and benefit students from under-resourced high schools. This new policy represents a departure from our previous approach, which required submitting either the PSAT, SAT, or ACT. Given the growing prevalence of ACT and SAT, and considering the potential for greater equity with this new requirement, it would be beneficial to revert to requiring either the ACT or SAT for all applicants.

Approximately half of our applicants have not taken ACT or SAT exams, and we have found that subject-specific exams like AP and IB can provide valuable insights during our committee discussions, just like ACT and SAT do. Additionally, new data from our research office highlight the predictive power of these exams. The second reason is the changing landscape of college admissions, where many students now place less emphasis on standardized tests for college applications. Many selective colleges remain test-optional, and some, including the University of California system, have become test blind. We aim to ensure fairness and not disadvantage applicants who did not take ACT or SAT.

News is prepared from public university announcements for general guidance. Policies change frequently; confirm current details with each university admissions office.